Tom Waits releases benefit spoken‑word single “The Fly”

Tom Waits has issued a new spoken‑word track titled “The Fly,” issued as the B‑side to his recent collaboration with Massive Attack, “Boots on the Ground.” The song, dedicated to the eponymous pest, will appear on a 12‑inch benefit vinyl released on 4 September 2026, with all proceeds earmarked for civil‑rights and community‑advocacy organisations. The piece was co‑written with his wife, Kathleen Brennan, and the lyric‑video features artwork by his son, Casey Waits. The release marks Waits’s first new material since his 2011 album “Bad as Me.” In addition to the music, Waits contributed to a tribute compilation for the late Pogues frontman Shane McGowan and is slated to appear in Martin McDonagh’s upcoming film “Wild Horse Nine,” opening on 6 November 2026 alongside John Malkovich, Sam Rockwell, Steve Buscemi and Parker Posey.